Vacancy Research Assistant Stress Susceptibility

Job description

Join a multidisciplinary team where collaboration and knowledge sharing are key. You'll have the opportunity to contribute to fundamental research on stress resilience while developing your own ideas and expanding your skill set.

As a research assistant in our group, you will conduct behavioural studies and intracranial surgeries in mice in the central animal facility. Additionally, you will perform work in the wetlab, running genotyping, immunoassays, brain slicing, immunohistochemistry experiments and microscopy. 

Stress exposure can have a devastating impact on someone’s life, causing stress-related psychopathology such as posttraumatic stress disorder or depression. Yet, most individuals show resistance to these adverse consequences of stress exposure and are resilient to disease. In our research group, we aim to understand the neurobiological mechanisms underlying this interindividual variance in stress susceptibility, as we believe that mimicking the natural processing coding resilience would be the optimal approach for prevention and treatment for disease.

We use animal models (mice) to investigate this, as they allow for the controlled study and more precise assessment of the neurobiological underpinnings. Since the brain is organized as set of functional neural networks, we focus our research on the neural circuit level (e.g., by whole-brain analyses of neuronal activation by means of cellular neuronal activity markers, viral tracing, and chemogenetics) and combine this with molecular studies to provide detailed mechanistic insight in the causes of altered neuronal circuit structure and function (investigating epigenetic mechanisms and local gene expression). To assess interindividual differences in stress susceptibility, these brain analysis methods are combined with a wide variety of behavioural assays.

Place of work

You will be embedded in the research group of Dr. Marloes Henckens, associate professor at the department of Medical Neuroscience (MNS) of the Radboudumc. The project is embedded in the unique and excellent infrastructure of the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, a world-class research centre devoted to understanding the mechanistic underpinnings of cognition and behaviour in health and disease. It is a highly dynamic institute with a collaborative atmosphere and particular interest into translational research. 

Department of Cognitive Neuroscience
Research into stress and stress-related disorders is an important focus area at Radboud university medical center. Researchers working on this theme jointly organize regular discussion meetings and lectures to promote integration of research conducted within molecular, cellular, systems, behavioural, and clinical neurosciences across campus. 

Radboudumc
Welcome to Radboud university medical center (Radboudumc), where our research groups strive for innovative solutions that make impact on health and healthcare. We challenge the status quo to overcome current and future health challenges. Our goal is to shape the future of healthcare for generations to come. Our focus is on prevention, sustainability, and meaningful care, which we achieve through our in-depth understanding of disease mechanisms, clinical science, public health research, medical technology and data science. Our approach is centered on breakthroughs that can truly enhance personalized healthcare and public health. 

At Radboudumc, a comprehensive range of research programs provide the compass for our research efforts. Each program has a clear goal, where collaboration within and outside our organization is highly valued. We integrate care, education and research in partnership with our patients to ensure that our research programs have significant impact on health and healthcare. We invite you to join us in our mission to create a healthy future for all.

Profile

You have the interpersonal capacity to participate in an interdisciplinary, international, and translational research environment. With a proactive, goal‑directed attitude and strong organizational skills, you contribute effectively to collaborative projects.

Moreover you have: 

• A MSc degree in (medical/molecular) biology, molecular life sciences, biomedical sciences, neuroscience, or in a related field.
• FELASA Certificate to conduct animal experiments.
• Fluency in written and spoken English.

Employment conditions

At Radboud university medical center, you build on your future. We are committed to providing the best care, education, and research. And we are true to our word, because we help you develop and seize opportunities and give you the room to grow. As an employer, we believe that employees should feel vital and happy at work in all stages of life. We are also committed to creating a healthy and safe working environment. Our employment conditions contribute to that. What we offer:

• A gross monthly salary between € 3.020 and € 4.041 (scale 7) for full-time employment (36 hours per week). You will also receive an 8% holiday allowance, an 8.3% end-of-year bonus, and, depending on the position, an allowance of 47% to 72% for working irregular hours.
• 176 vacation hours per year based on a 36-hour working week. 

And there is more..

• An Employment Conditions Selection Model, allowing you to use part of your employment conditions to your choosing. For example, you can use your gross salary to purchase additional vacation hours or hours for providing informal caregiving. Or, for example, you can use your gross end-of-year bonus to purchase a bicycle, so you pay less tax.
• Plenty of opportunities for personal development. You can take a variety of courses in our online learning environment. 
• Your well-being and vitality are a priority. For example:
  • Save time for work-life balance leave. 
  • You can enjoy unlimited access to a variety of activities five days a month and take advantage of all the facilities at Radboud Sport & Culture for only €27.05 per month (instead of €41)
  • Healthy Professionals program to help you manage your energy. 
  • Company Support Team and a personal coach if you are going through a life-changing event.
  • Financially beneficial working less through a Generation Scheme as you approach state pension age.
• Support in achieving a good work-life balance at every stage of your life. Examples:
  • Advice and courses on, for example, 'Millennial dilemmas' and 'Your Career After 57'.
  • Activities at our own mindfulness center.
  • Informal caregiving consultations if you have questions about juggling work and caregiving responsibilities at home.
• In addition to statutory pregnancy and maternity leave, Radboud university medical center offers 26 weeks of parental leave, nine of which are paid. In addition, as a partner you can take a maximum of five weeks of supplementary partner leave. During supplementary partner leave and parental leave, we supplement the UWV benefit up to 100% of your salary.
• Pension accrual at the ABP Pension Fund. Radboud university medical center pays 70% of the pension premium. 
• Discounts on supplementary packages of two group health insurances and ten other types of insurance, from home insurance to legal assistance.
• An allowance for your commuting costs of € 0.18 per km up to a maximum of 40 km one way. If you use public transport to commute, we will fully reimburse the public transport costs (2nd class). If you regularly work from home, you will receive a working from home allowance of € 2.40 per day.

Application procedure

Are you ready to think further for our patients and our care? We would like to receive your application before 4 December 2025. We will then contact you shortly.

Good to know

• This position requires a Certificate of Conduct (VOG).
• You can find more information about our application procedure and frequently asked questions on our website.
• Will you be our new colleague? Then you will be given the time and space to get to know your role, your workplace, and your colleagues. An induction day for all new colleagues is an integral part of your onboarding program. 

We are recruiting for this position ourselves. Unsolicited marketing is not appreciated, but do feel free to share the vacancy in your network!

Contact

Any questions? Or wondering what it is like to work at Radboudumc? Then an email to Marloes Henckens, Research Group Leader. Use the Apply button to submit your application.